01? NORTH CAROLINA. ^'59 



and vomiting it up again as clear as they drink 

 it. This is a custom amongst all those that can 

 procure that plant, in which manner they take 

 it every other morning or oftener, by which meth- 

 od they keep their stomachs clean without prick- 

 ing the coats, and straining nature, as eveiy purge 

 is an enemy to. Besides the great diuretic quali- 

 ty of their tea carries off a great deal that perhaps 

 might prejudice their health by agues and fevers, 

 which all watery countries are addicted to ; for 

 which reason I believe it is that the Indians are not 

 so much addicted to that distemper as we are, they 

 preventing its siezing upon them by this plant 

 alone. Moreover, I have remarked, that it is only 

 those places bordering on the ocean and great riv- 

 ers, that this distemper is frequent in, and only on 

 and near the same places this evergreen is to be 

 found, and none up towards the mountains, where 

 these agues seldom or never appear. iN'ature hav- 

 mg provided suitable remedies in all countries, 

 proper for the maladies that are common thereto. 

 The savages of Carolina have this tea in venera- 

 tion above all the plants they are acquainted with- 

 al, and tell you the discovery thereof was by an 

 infirm Indian, that labored under the burden of 

 many rugged distempers, and could not be cured 

 by all their doctors : so one day he fell asleep, 

 and dreamed that if he took a decoction of the 

 tree that grew at his head, he would certainly be 

 cured. Upon which he awoke, and saw the yau- 

 pon or caffena tree, which was not there when he 



